I’ve talked a lot about what Davie and I have in common over the last few weeks, but today I want to talk about something we absolutely don’t have in common — and that is moving. As far as I know, Davie has only moved twice in her entire life. I’ve moved seventeen times — and that’s not counting moving rooms in college or any moves that lasted under three months. And now I’m thinking about moving again.
We moved to Altadena from Silver Lake a year ago, in a panic about living in the right area of town to raise a family. Altadena seemed like a good fit. There’s a large black population here, Pasadena is less than ten minutes away. You get good house for the money. When our future landlord told us that he was planning to put our house on the market in a year or two, we were pretty sure we were going to buy. Only…
… Altadena might look perfect for us on paper, but IRL, not so much. We dislike not being able to walk to anything more than our local Ralph’s (which is desperately in need of a remodel). I do like having a post office nearby, but am annoyed that I have to wait in line every time to send packages as opposed to just using a machine to weigh my packages and get the proper amount of postage like at my old post office. Also, getting to the highway takes over ten minutes, which wouldn’t be so bad, if most of my friends didn’t live about 30 highway minutes away.
We made a list of the things we wanted in our next home, which included, good school districts, four bedrooms, within walking distance of shopping (which should include a decent grocery store), a pool, good cell phone coverage (the last time I talked to my editor on my cell, the call dropped three times), and most important, modern amenities. After living in a place with creaky central air that either runs too hot or too cold, pipe problems, and other old house issues, we are more than ready to embrace thoroughly modern living.
However, we’ve quite liked renting as opposed to owning. It allowed us a sneak peek of the neighborhood without actually committing to a mortgage, and it’s also allowed us to save toward our dream house. So we decided to rent for another year or two.
But then a funny thing happened during our research. We were able to find a few places that had all the stuff on our list and fit into our budget, but … they were all apartments, townhomes, or condos. So yesterday we had a family meeting, and as it turned out, no one, not even my MIL was opposed to living in a non-house. In fact, the only real argument I could come up with was that others would judge us for not living in a house, you know, like families are supposed to. But that actually sealed our decision to start looking into non-house options. You don’t ever want to go down certain paths only because others expect you to take it.
Anywho, this all has me wondering. How often have you moved? Are you happy with where you live today and what led you to move there? What would you change about your current residence if you could? The winning comment will be featured in next week’s Wednesday Comment Challenge AND the writer will receive a 32 CANDLES tote bag. Yay!
Speaking of which, congrats to last week’s Comment Challenge winner, jill from Pittsburgh, who wrote this in response to the question, “How Do You Watch TV?”
I am a reader in a houseful of tv fanatics! I have a few shows that I love to watch faithfully, but mostly, I prefer to have my nose buried in a book. However, I have lately discovered that there are some series that I missed, and I want to go back and collect old episodes. I had been borrowing the series by season from my local library, in preference to sitting at my desktop computer watching on Hulu. Due to a recent Netflix gift subscription, I am now watching older TV on my dvd player.
I think, however, that I get most of my television through osmosis; my stepson is watching in the basement, so I can hear his TV when I am doing laundry; my sweetheart watches tv on the big screen in the living room for my listening (dis)pleasure while cooking or couch lounging and my stepdaughter watches television (at top volume) on the second floor, in her bedroom. Does this mean I am a victim of second-hand viewing?
Photo Credit: Jerry Luk
I moved a ton growing up because my father was/is in the Navy. 10 different states by the time I was 14 when we finally settled down for longer than 3 years in VA. After getting married, I apparently found a man who likes to move too. In the last 5 years of marriage we have moved 3 times and I’m currently getting the itch to leave again! And we don’t do the small across town moves, we do moves to different states! I’m actually ready to leave our current row home in the city where I can smell the neighbors cigarette smoke and what’s on their menu for dinner. Gross. I’d love to live in a single family house out in the ‘burbs with a nice backyard and good schools. That’s all. I’m pretty easy to please.
I moved a ton growing up because my father was/is in the Navy. 10 different states by the time I was 14 when we finally settled down for longer than 3 years in VA. After getting married, I apparently found a man who likes to move too. In the last 5 years of marriage we have moved 3 times and I’m currently getting the itch to leave again! And we don’t do the small across town moves, we do moves to different states! I’m actually ready to leave our current row home in the city where I can smell the neighbors cigarette smoke and what’s on their menu for dinner. Gross. I’d love to live in a single family house out in the ‘burbs with a nice backyard and good schools. That’s all. I’m pretty easy to please.
[…] Let’s review what happened. Due to issues with old pipes, a creaky A/C system, and a not-as-responsive-as-we’d-like landlord, we decided that we hated our house and that it was time to move. We envisioned a new abode that would be within walking distance of shopping and a decent grocery store. However, the only thing we could find that had all of those qualities within our price range were apartments and townhomes. So we discussed it as a family, and remembering how all of us had at one time lived in apartments that we loved, we decided to pursue non-house living. I wrote all about it here. […]
I have moved eight times as an adult. I have owned three homes. My current hoe of 10 years was result of marrying my wonderful husband and becoming step Mom to my wonderful children. We had outgrown our ranch home and decided to build a home together—literally and figuratively. Building our new home was challenging and exciting. The move was even more stressful. Planning to move five people and the costs associated with this project was often overwhelming for me. Here is what I learned. You have to take on this task with a strategic mentality in order to move in as fast and conveniently as possible. You’ll definitely want to plan as far in advance as you can. Planning too much is better than planning too little! Get your move-in and move-out dates sorted out first. This will determine most of the planning – whether to keep your belongings in storage, whether to get accommodation before moving in or whether to move straight in. The more time overlap you have between moving out and moving into your new home, the better.
Before you move in, when space is cleared out, is the best time to fix problems with your new place. Does it need new paint? Do you want wood flooring instead of vinyl? Perhaps you want full-length French windows in your bedroom for your new spectacular view! Whatever it is, these can be major projects, but this is the best time to do it because if you don’t you’ll have to move all your furniture, then back again. That’s like three separate moves! Save yourself the hassle and do any renovating ahead of time.
Planning your packing is also key. Good planning goes a long way. Be liberal with what you get rid of because the less stuff you have means less work involved not only in the actual move, but also in arranging your new home. Determine what you absolutely must keep and what just clutter is. Be sure to label your packed boxes because this will save you time in the unpacking process.
I was so excited about our new home and the prospect of living in a new place. Soon enough I realized all of the work involved in making the move. I made some poor decisions put of haste. I’m sharing this advice with you so that you can learn from my mistakes. I am very happy in my home and we are discussing moving in three years to a one level home with a gourmet kitchen and wine cellar. The sooner you make the move and make the place YOUR HOME the faster you will be able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
I have moved eight times as an adult. I have owned three homes. My current hoe of 10 years was result of marrying my wonderful husband and becoming step Mom to my wonderful children. We had outgrown our ranch home and decided to build a home together—literally and figuratively. Building our new home was challenging and exciting. The move was even more stressful. Planning to move five people and the costs associated with this project was often overwhelming for me. Here is what I learned. You have to take on this task with a strategic mentality in order to move in as fast and conveniently as possible. You’ll definitely want to plan as far in advance as you can. Planning too much is better than planning too little! Get your move-in and move-out dates sorted out first. This will determine most of the planning – whether to keep your belongings in storage, whether to get accommodation before moving in or whether to move straight in. The more time overlap you have between moving out and moving into your new home, the better.
Before you move in, when space is cleared out, is the best time to fix problems with your new place. Does it need new paint? Do you want wood flooring instead of vinyl? Perhaps you want full-length French windows in your bedroom for your new spectacular view! Whatever it is, these can be major projects, but this is the best time to do it because if you don’t you’ll have to move all your furniture, then back again. That’s like three separate moves! Save yourself the hassle and do any renovating ahead of time.
Planning your packing is also key. Good planning goes a long way. Be liberal with what you get rid of because the less stuff you have means less work involved not only in the actual move, but also in arranging your new home. Determine what you absolutely must keep and what just clutter is. Be sure to label your packed boxes because this will save you time in the unpacking process.
I was so excited about our new home and the prospect of living in a new place. Soon enough I realized all of the work involved in making the move. I made some poor decisions put of haste. I’m sharing this advice with you so that you can learn from my mistakes. I am very happy in my home and we are discussing moving in three years to a one level home with a gourmet kitchen and wine cellar. The sooner you make the move and make the place YOUR HOME the faster you will be able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
I have moved eight times as an adult. I have owned three homes. My current home of 10 years was result of marrying my wonderful husband and becoming step Mom to my wonderful children. We had outgrown our ranch home and decided to build a home together—literally and figuratively. Building our new home was challenging and exciting. The move was even more stressful. Planning to move five people and the costs associated with this project was often overwhelming for me. Here is what I learned. You have to take on this task with a strategic mentality in order to move in as fast and conveniently as possible. You’ll definitely want to plan as far in advance as you can. Planning too much is better than planning too little! Get your move-in and move-out dates sorted out first. This will determine most of the planning – whether to keep your belongings in storage, whether to get accommodation before moving in or whether to move straight in. The more time overlap you have between moving out and moving into your new home, the better.
Before you move in, when space is cleared out, is the best time to fix problems with your new place. Does it need new paint? Do you want wood flooring instead of vinyl? Perhaps you want full-length French windows in your bedroom for your new spectacular view! Whatever it is, these can be major projects, but this is the best time to do it because if you don’t you’ll have to move all your furniture, then back again. That’s like three separate moves! Save yourself the hassle and do any renovating ahead of time.
Planning your packing is also key. Good planning goes a long way. Be liberal with what you get rid of because the less stuff you have means less work involved not only in the actual move, but also in arranging your new home. Determine what you absolutely must keep and what just clutter is. Be sure to label your packed boxes because this will save you time in the unpacking process.
I was so excited about our new home and the prospect of living in a new place. Soon enough I realized all of the work involved in making the move. I made some poor decisions put of haste. I’m sharing this advice with you so that you can learn from my mistakes. I am very happy in my home and we are discussing moving in three years to a one level home with a gourmet kitchen and wine cellar. The sooner you make the move and make the place YOUR HOME the faster you will be able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor
I have moved eight times as an adult. I have owned three homes. My current home of 10 years was result of marrying my wonderful husband and becoming step Mom to my wonderful children. We had outgrown our ranch home and decided to build a home together—literally and figuratively. Building our new home was challenging and exciting. The move was even more stressful. Planning to move five people and the costs associated with this project was often overwhelming for me. Here is what I learned. You have to take on this task with a strategic mentality in order to move in as fast and conveniently as possible. You’ll definitely want to plan as far in advance as you can. Planning too much is better than planning too little! Get your move-in and move-out dates sorted out first. This will determine most of the planning – whether to keep your belongings in storage, whether to get accommodation before moving in or whether to move straight in. The more time overlap you have between moving out and moving into your new home, the better.
Before you move in, when space is cleared out, is the best time to fix problems with your new place. Does it need new paint? Do you want wood flooring instead of vinyl? Perhaps you want full-length French windows in your bedroom for your new spectacular view! Whatever it is, these can be major projects, but this is the best time to do it because if you don’t you’ll have to move all your furniture, then back again. That’s like three separate moves! Save yourself the hassle and do any renovating ahead of time.
Planning your packing is also key. Good planning goes a long way. Be liberal with what you get rid of because the less stuff you have means less work involved not only in the actual move, but also in arranging your new home. Determine what you absolutely must keep and what just clutter is. Be sure to label your packed boxes because this will save you time in the unpacking process.
I was so excited about our new home and the prospect of living in a new place. Soon enough I realized all of the work involved in making the move. I made some poor decisions put of haste. I’m sharing this advice with you so that you can learn from my mistakes. I am very happy in my home and we are discussing moving in three years to a one level home with a gourmet kitchen and wine cellar. The sooner you make the move and make the place YOUR HOME the faster you will be able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor
I have moved eight times as an adult. I have owned three homes. My current home of 10 years was result of marrying my wonderful husband and becoming step Mom to my wonderful children. We had outgrown our ranch home and decided to build a home together—literally and figuratively. Building our new home was challenging and exciting. The move was even more stressful. Planning to move five people and the costs associated with this project was often overwhelming for me. Here is what I learned. You have to take on this task with a strategic mentality in order to move in as fast and conveniently as possible. You’ll definitely want to plan as far in advance as you can. Planning too much is better than planning too little! Get your move-in and move-out dates sorted out first. This will determine most of the planning – whether to keep your belongings in storage, whether to get accommodation before moving in or whether to move straight in. The more time overlap you have between moving out and moving into your new home, the better.
Before you move in, when space is cleared out, is the best time to fix problems with your new place. Does it need new paint? Do you want wood flooring instead of vinyl? Perhaps you want full-length French windows in your bedroom for your new spectacular view! Whatever it is, these can be major projects, but this is the best time to do it because if you don’t you’ll have to move all your furniture, then back again. That’s like three separate moves! Save yourself the hassle and do any renovating ahead of time.
Planning your packing is also key. Good planning goes a long way. Be liberal with what you get rid of because the less stuff you have means less work involved not only in the actual move, but also in arranging your new home. Determine what you absolutely must keep and what just clutter is. Be sure to label your packed boxes because this will save you time in the unpacking process.
I was so excited about our new home and the prospect of living in a new place. Soon enough I realized all of the work involved in making the move. I made some poor decisions put of haste. I’m sharing this advice with you so that you can learn from my mistakes. I am very happy in my home and we are discussing moving in three years to a one level home with a gourmet kitchen and wine cellar. The sooner you make the move and make the place YOUR HOME the faster you will be able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor
I was so excited about our new home and the prospect of living in a new place. Soon enough I realized all of the work involved in making the move. I made some poor decisions put of haste. I’m sharing this advice with you so that you can learn from my mistakes. I am very happy in my home and we are discussing moving in three years to a one level home with a gourmet kitchen and wine cellar. The sooner you make the move and make the place YOUR HOME the faster you will be able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor
I was so excited about our new home and the prospect of living in a new place. Soon enough I realized all of the work involved in making the move. I made some poor decisions put of haste. I’m sharing this advice with you so that you can learn from my mistakes. I am very happy in my home and we are discussing moving in three years to a one level home with a gourmet kitchen and wine cellar. The sooner you make the move and make the place YOUR HOME the faster you will be able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor